Yami no Ryuu
by Ael L. Bolt
Summary: Voldemort's got Harry in his clutches at last, and a new spell causes great concern as Harry begins to undergo a major transformation. Even once he is rescued, the changes escalate until he can't hide it anymore. Someone has to know...but Voldemort wants
1. Prologue and Chapter One

Yami no Ryuu  
By Ael L. Bolt

Rating: PG-13 for torture scenes  
Genre: Angst/Fantasy  
Characters: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, Ecurai, Charlie, Remus

Languages: This fic's primary language is, obviously, English. The title (and the titles of the sequels) is Japanese. The dragon species names are Chinese (don't ask me which dialect, because I've forgotten). Hogwarts spells are mostly in Latin, with the big AK being Arabic. Ecurai's name and her name for Harry are in Rihanha (which extreme Star Trek nuts will know is the Rihannsu name for their own language – such Trekkies will also know that the Rihannsu are what the Romulans call themselves).

Summary: Voldemort's got Harry in his clutches at last, and a new spell causes great concern as Harry begins to undergo a major transformation. Even once he is rescued, the changes escalate until he can't hide it anymore. Someone has to know...but Voldemort wants to possess him, and telling the wrong person could mean death.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all associated paraphernalia belong to JK Rowling and some other people. The Sai Lung and Daai Lung are my creation, which includes my little Ecurai. Morph clay is also mine, though I wouldn't be surprised if someone else had the same idea. Katriana Andrews belongs to my good friend DJP, and Fornax Serpens belongs to my younger brother Nick.

Author's Notes: There is no romance in Yami no Ryuu. I'm not any good at writing it, and it has nothing to do with the main plot, so it is not there. Nor will there be any romance in the sequel Hikari no Ryuu. However, if it's romance you want, the second sequel Rekidaishi no Ryuu will probably address this issue (though I will say now that it will not be slash, nor will Ecurai be involved). As of this first story, however, Harry is not capable of finding a suitable girlfriend, nor is he inclined to. You'll see why.

"Normal Speech"  
_Thoughts  
(__Telepathic speech)  
-Parseltongue-_

_- - - - - - - - - -_

Prologue – So It Begins

Number Four Privet Drive was unusually quiet that summer morning. The Dursley family was normally kicking up a fuss at this time, but threats from the Order of the Phoenix kept them relatively silent. Harry Potter, who was now nearly sixteen, spent most of his time in his room – of his own free will this time – grieving over the loss of Sirius Black.

"It's my fault," he whispered to the wall. "If I hadn't been so stupid...if I hadn't...if..." Shameful tears burned his cheeks, and he hid his face in his hands as he wept bitterly.

Every night, the dreams would come. Every night, he relived Sirius' death. Though the nightmares were slowly chipping away at his sanity, he would not ask for help.

If not for his foolishness, Sirius would be alive.

----

"Is this it?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure? If you're wrong, the Master will–"

"I know what the Master will do! Now be silent, or he'll have warning."

Three dark-robed figures quietly entered the house, bypassing the lower floor and going straight to the second bedroom. The door held a variety of holes, as if there had once been numerous locks in place on it, and the leading figure pushed it open.

"There he is..."

On the bed inside lay a young man, deep in silent, troubled slumber. He did not stir at the nearly inaudible sound of the figures approaching, nor did his owl's hooting awaken him. A soft whisper of "_Stupefy_" nearly woke him, but a flash of red light sent him into oblivion.

"We have him," the third figure said, looking down eagerly at the comatose boy. "The Master will be very pleased."

The second figure lifted the boy into his arms, one of which gleamed bright silver. "Sorry Harry, but the Master requests your presence," he said, and all four people vanished with a _crack_.

- - - - - - -

Chapter One – Suspicion

"Something's wrong," Remus Lupin announced. "It's been almost four days since Harry's last note, and we all know he's made regular contact every three days as asked...until now."

"Perhaps he forgot," Molly Weasley suggested, but didn't appear to think so either.

"Not likely," Moody growled. "Young Potter's in trouble; I can sense it."

Lupin walked over to the Grimmauld Place fire and tossed in a handful of Floo powder. "Albus Dumbledore," he called.

Moments later, Dumbledore's head appeared in the flames. "Remus, what is the problem?"

"We think Harry's in trouble," Remus explained. "He missed last night's contact point, and no one else has heard from him in two days."

Dumbledore looked alarmed. "Remus, take Molly and the youngest Mr. Weasley and go to Privet Drive. See if the Dursleys know anything about it, and try to find out how Harry is doing."

"Right."

----

_Knock knock knock_.

The three wizards waited for one of the Dursleys to yank open the door and scream obscenities at them...but there was barely a sound. Remus glances back at the two Weasleys, who nodded. The werewolf drew his wand and cautiously opened the door. "Hello?" he called. "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley?"

"Maybe they're not home," Ron suggested nervously, looking around the freakishly clean room.

"See if you can find Harry," Molly told her son. Ron nodded and headed up the stairs.

"Something doesn't smell right," Lupin said, frowning. "Some scent that wasn't here before...I think something _has_ happened to Harry."

"We didn't do it," a new voice put in, and they whirled around to see Petunia Dursley, peering anxiously out of the kitchen archway.

"Didn't do what?" Molly asked dangerously.

"Whatever you thought we did," Petunia whimpered. "The boy ran away two nights ago."

"He...ran away?" Molly repeated, as if she wasn't sure she'd heard correctly.

Petunia seemed to gather more courage and cautiously stepped into the same room as the wizards. "Yes," she said boldly.. "I went up to check on him because he hadn't come down for breakfast, and he was just gone. Didn't even take his...school things."

"She's right," Ron said from the top of the stairs, sounding panicked. "Even Hedwig's still here, and Harry would _never_ leave her locked up."

Remus bounded up the stairs to see for himself. The room was very spartan, with hardly any sheets on the bed and a very thin carpet. A school trunk, stamped with the Hogwarts crest and still packed from the previous year, was the only evidence besides Hedwig's cage that a wizard lived there...or so he thought.

"I also found these," Ron added, pressing cool metal into Remus' hands.

It was Harry's glasses.

Remus carefully slipped them into his pocket. "You're right, Ron," he said suspiciously. "Harry wouldn't leave Hedwig, and I doubt he would go wandering without his glasses...or his wand," he added, spotting the wand in the shadows under the bed.

As he reached down to pick it up, the strong scent of wrongness increased, and the werewolf's sensitive nose finally identified it.

"_Wormtail_!"


	2. Chapter Two and Chapter Three

Chapter Two – Best Laid Plans

"Unnhhh..."

Harry almost couldn't remember a time he'd felt this bad, but he repressed the vague ache and opened his eyes.

It didn't help much.

Briefly Harry wondered if he'd gone blind, but he could very faintly make out his hand in front of his face. Everything else was a deep black, so he had to rely on his hearing and sense of touch.

Reaching out with his hands, he felt that the floor was of cool, hard stone, and varying degrees of grime clung to his fingers. The sound of dripping water echoed faintly off distant hallways, giving him the impression that he was in some kind of dungeon. He carefully felt his way over to a stone wall and stood up, noticing that the sound created rebounded off a distant ceiling...a _very_ distant ceiling.

The faint tempo of expensive shoes on stone came to his ears, becoming louder as a faint glow began to approach beyond what he could now see as a barred gate. Suddenly the torches around the cell – for lack of a better word – burst into flame, causing him to cringe back and squint as Lucius Malfoy appeared at the gate.

"So you _are_ awake," Malfoy sneered. He nodded to Macnair and Nott, who had come in behind him. "Bind him and take him to the Master's main audience chamber," he ordered, "but do not harm him yet...the Master wants him intact for the surprise."

Harry did his best to put up a fight, but he was still groggy from the stunner and was easily overpowered.

----

From the blurry shapes he could see, Harry guessed that it was some sort of throne room mock-up. Malfoy dragged him in front of a raised platform and threw him to the floor.

"My Lord," Malfoy said, kneeling, "the Potter child, as you ordered."

"Well done, Luciusss..." the high, hissing voice came from the platform. By squinting, Harry was able to make out the shape of Lord Voldemort on a dark throne. "You may go."

Malfoy bowed his head in gratitude and backed out of the room, leaving Harry alone with the Dark Lord.

"Ssso, Harry Potter, I have you at lassst," Voldemort hissed in pleasure.

"Only for now," Harry shot back, fighting against the agony in his scar at such close proximity to the Dark Wizard.

Voldemort laughed. "Oh yesss, how confident you are, young Harry. True, I intend to dissspossse of you," he said, dragging out his words with obvious delight, "asss sssoon asss I am done with you."

Before Harry could contemplate the meaning behind his words, Voldemort waved his hand lazily. Instantly, a ring of fire sprang up around Harry, enclosing him in a cage of flame.

"Wormtail," Voldemort purred, "administer the _Yami no Ryuu_ to young Harry."

Bound as he was, and in excruciating pain from his scar, Harry could only watch helplessly as Peter Pettigrew approached. The traitor poured a vial of something green into the flames, which turned black and engulfed their captive.

Harry screamed involuntarily as the ebony fire scorched his skin and lungs, squeezing his eyes shut to protect his sight. Combined with the nearly crippling pain from his scar, the agony overwhelmed him and he spiraled into blackness.

----

Voldemort smirked as the flames snuffed out, revealing his badly burned nemesis. "Take him back to the dungeons," he said, and turned away as Wormtail dragged the unconscious boy back to his cell.

A large snake slithered out of the shadows to meet him, hissing. Voldemort smiled down at the serpent. -_Soon, Nagini_,- he hissed back. -_Soon your brother shall awaken.-_

Nagini hissed in pleasure.

-------------

Chapter Three – Puzzles

"Death Eaters."

Dumbledore's voice was full of dismay as he peered out of the fireplace at the Burrow. "He has been kidnapped, then."

"How did they get past the wards?" Arthur Weasley asked worriedly. "Surely you would have noticed the protections around Privet Drive falling far before this happened."

Dumbledore sighed. "It is clear that Harry does not see Privet Drive as home any longer, rendering the ancient magic useless. I should have seen this..."

"What do we do? Do we know where they took Harry?" Remus asked.

Dumbledore shook his head. "Severus is trying to narrow down the usual locations of the Death Eater gatherings, but until we get a lead I am afraid there is little we can do. However," he added, "a little is sometimes better than nothing. Ronald!"

"Yes sir?" Ron said, looking up in surprise.

"I would appreciate it if you would look after Harry's belongings," Dumbledore said kindly. "He will need them when we get him back."

Ron looked simultaneously saddened and hopeful. "Thanks sir, I will."

"Remus," Dumbledore continued, "send an owl to Oddment Lovegood and ask him to publish an article regarding suspicious Death Eater activity and a request for anyone with information to get in contact with the Order."

Remus nodded. "But Albus, what about _The Daily Prophet_?"

Dumbledore considered it. "I hesitate to trust any information to Minister Fudge," he said at last," but I believe _The Daily Prophet_ should print a similar article. However, they must not learn of Harry's disappearance. There are still Death Eaters in Ministry positions, and I would not have them alerted to our efforts."

Remus didn't look any less worried, but nodded. "I will do as you ask."

"Arthur," Dumbledore said as he turned to Mr. Weasley, "you and your family must be moved to Hogwarts as soon as possible. I fear that Voldemort may try to get at Mr. Potter's friends. This means that Ms. Granger must also be retrieved immediately."

"And her family?" Molly inquired. "She is a Muggle-born, after all..."

"Of course, I do mean her parents as well," Dumbledore assured her.

"I'll get them," Molly offered. "The sooner that poor girl and her family are out of danger, the better I'll feel about all this."

She did not mention Harry's abduction.


	3. Chapter Four and Chapter Five

Chapter Four – Riddles and Torture

_Pain_.

He lay still, battered by the burning agony radiating from every inch of flesh. The cold stone did little to cool the scorching heat, and even the smallest twitch dared the darkness to return.

Harry cautiously opened his eyes, flinching at the pain that even that small movement caused. He was back in the cell, but now the torches along the walls were lit and cast ominous shadows on the floor.

After a moment the agony subsided a little, though the cold did not lessen, so he risked a little more movement and slowly say up to examine his injuries.

To his surprise, the burns were closing over into new pink skin, though he knew he had been seriously burned to the point of almost having no skin left. The pain remained longer, but that too was fading as the accelerated healing continued.

He pondered this strange new development and decided too early that his pain was over.

A sharp, shooting lance of pain in his chest disproved his conclusion, and he clutched at his chest. Every breath tore raggedly at his lungs, and his heart pounded painfully in his ears. Vaguely, he wondered if he was having a heart attack.

The pain stopped abruptly, leaving him flat on his back and gasping for breath. For a moment he just lay there, gulping in air, before he became aware that he was no longer alone.

"Up, boy," a voice sneered, and pain exploded in his side as the speaker lashed out with a boot. Harry groaned as he felt some of his ribs moving freely of his skeleton, though he tried to stand. He got as far as his knees before another Death Eater cuffed him on the ear, sending him sprawling on the floor.

"Idiot!" the first Death Eater snarled. "The Master wants him conscious!"

"He's still aware," the second argued. "Besides, he was being too slow."

"Be that as it may, the Master's prize is not to be permanently damaged."

They grumbled and bickered some more, but Harry hardly heard a word. Finally, the Death Eaters decided to levitate him along to his destination.

----

When he came to, Harry found himself strapped to a table in a small room. The stench of blood reached his nose, and he suppressed a shudder of revulsion and fear.

"Ah, our young guest awakens," Voldemort's voice hissed in his ear. "So rude of you to leave so soon last time, don't you agree?" Spidery fingers touched Harry's cheek, and he feebly tried to jerk his head away as agony spiked in his scar. "Don't worry, Harry – I'll make sure you stay for everything I'm going to share with you."

Macnair moved into his sight, brandishing a sharp ceremonial dagger in obvious delight and anticipation. "You see, Harry," Voldemort's deceptive tones continued, "my Death Eaters and I have not had such an important guest in so long, we want to have a little fun before you have to leave us."

"No thanks," Harry managed to gasp out. "I think I'll pass on that, if you don't mind."

Voldemort chuckled. "Ah, but you misunderstand – we are going to bestow upon you a great honor, the highest we can give you. Refusal is not an option."

Macnair stepped forward and lowered the dagger to Harry's right hand, placing the point on the knuckle of his little finger. Harry tried to jerk away from the bite of cold steel, but the restraints prevented him from even twitching.

"Proceed," Voldemort ordered.

The dagger descended.

Harry's scream echoed off the cold stone walls, and blood stained the already soiled room.

"Now," Voldemort purred as Harry's cry faded to a choked whimper, "we shall begin to see results."

- - - - - -

Chapter Five – Searching

The scene that greeted Hermione upon her early arrival at Hogwarts was a frantic one. Order members dashed from place to place, sending owls and cross-checking maps. One man that Hermione did not recognize was reading a list from a scroll as another man pored over a diagram.

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, looking up from reading a letter. "So good to see that you and your family have arrived safely. No problems, I trust?"

"None involving Death Eaters," Molly Weasley answered.

"Hermione!" She turned to see Ron sitting at the Gryffindor table, sorting through owl post. He didn't stop or get up to greet her, which by itself told her how serious the situation was. All she knew was that Mrs. Weasley had appeared at her house and told them to pack anything they needed. When asked why, she'd only replied, "There's a safety problem."

"Ron, what's going on?" she demanded. "Why all the commotion? Is anyone going to get Harry too?"

All the noise stopped, and everyone stared at her. "We are _trying_ to determine Mr. Potter's whereabouts," McGonagall said slowly, "but that will be rather difficult, seeing as the Dark Lord is holding him captive."

It took a moment for the words to sink in, but when they did it all made sense. The rushed departure. Mrs. Weasley's refusal to elaborate. The mayhem and chaos that now reigned at Hogwarts.

At the reminder of the severity of the situation, everyone went back to rushing around. Hermione sat down next to Ron. "Have they gotten a lead yet?" she asked after a moment.

Ron shook his head. "I don't think so. Snape's been trying to narrow down the Death Eater meeting sites, but so far they haven't found where You-Know-Who is keeping Harry."

There was a heavy knock on the door to the entrance hall, and it swung open partway to let a dark-robed figure stagger in. He swayed dangerously on his feet as he walked towards them, and eventually collapsed at the door of the Great Hall.

"I know where Potter is," he gasped out, then fainted.

It was Draco Malfoy.


End file.
